Monday, May 22, 2017

(Rome) Only six months after the recent consistory on the creation of new cardinals, Pope Francis announced yesterday the next cardinal appointments. Such a short-term succession of cardinal appointments was the last thing that happened in 2012 immediately before Pope Benedict XVI's surprise resignation.

The announcement made by Pope Francis on Sunday said that he felt an urgent need to appoint new cardinals who were eligible for election in an imminent conclave.

The full number of the papal electors currently stands at 120 cardinals who have not yet reached 80 years of age. At present, this includes 116 cardinals. In the first half of 2018, seven current papal electors will leave for reasons of age. Then the number will remain constant until the end of January 2019. With the five new cardinals, 49 of the 121 pope voters will have been appointed by Francis.

With the announcement of the creation of five new cardinals, Pope Francis will even slightly exceed the full figure for eight months.

The Cardinals' Consistory was announced by Francis for the 28th of June. Of the five new cardinals, four come from the margins:

Three of the five new cardinals are from the Diaspora, which is why the question of the representation of the Cardinals from countries and dioceses, which are hardly known to Catholics (Mali, Sweden, Laos), have been raised. Whether the periphery or the center ( Pope Francis allows for an overweights from the periphery once again), a "Bergoglian" identity is common to the appointed men.

Above all, the appointment of an Auxiliary Bishop to the Cardinal raises questions. The reigning Archbishop of San Salvador is younger than his auxiliary bishop coming to the purple. Monsignor Rosa has been an auxiliary bishop since 1982 and was appointed by Pope John Paul II. Archbishop José Luis Escobar Alas was appointed in 2008 by Pope Benedict XVI.

In the Cardinal, and thus to his advisors, the Pope can appoint whom he will, but the elevation of Monsignor Rosa is at least unusual. Auxiliary Bishop Rosa is the oldest of the new Cardinals at 74 years.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

(Rome) The Italian journalist and Rector of the School of Journalism of Perugia, Antonio Socci, took the call of Pope Francis, "tear down all the walls" as an excuse, even to demand tearing down the "wall of silence" around the conclave. Socci is known to have doubted the validity of the election of Pope Francis. It's a daring hypothesis that has met with general rejection because of its insufficient foundation. Irrespective of this, however, Socci's questions can not be passed over without further ado.

In his book "Non é Francesco" (He is not Francis) he gave a synopsis of the inconsistencies in the pontificate of the reigning Pope that seems to strike a chord with many insecure Catholics. Two and a half months after its release, Soccis's book has been number one in Italy's Religion / Spirituality area.

In the circle of his colleagues, they feel that since the publication of his book Socci has gone too far in his main thesis. Yet no one denies that he has mastered his craft as a journalist nor neglected a flair for details. It is also not surprising that he sees in Austen Ivereighs book "The Great Reformer" grist for his own mill. The more so, as Ivereigh, unlike Socci, is an avowed admirer of Francis.

Ivereigh, former Press Agent for Cardinal Murphy O'Connor, revealed the existence of a group of cardinals, which he called "Team Bergoglio". This group, which existed in its core of the cardinals Lehmann, Kasper, Danneels and O'Connor should have joined forces to raise a candidate of their choice to the papal throne. The candidate of their choice was the primate of Argentina, Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergoglio. Back in 2005, after the obvious failure of the long-standing "Ante-Pope" Carlo Maria Martini, the voices of the progressive party had focused on another Jesuit, the Argentine Bergoglio, in the College of Cardinals. This conspiracy got cold feet in its duel against Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger and retired. For this reason, said Ivereigh, team Bergoglio, having a commitment from Bergoglio before the conclave of 2013, would not back down this time. The "team" then successfully organized the campaign to Ivereigh's delight.

The revelation caused such a stir that Cardinal O'Connor published a correction and Vatican spokesman Lombardi at the request of four cardinals named issued a disclaimer.

And to this, Antonio Socci writes:

Mysterious delay

Antonio Socci

"(...) To date, there is no explanation of the unusual delay for Pope Bergoglio to appear on the loggia of St. Peter the before the people.

Between the white smoke and the first appearance, it took twice as much time as with Benedict XVI. Why? What happened? And what about the strange episode when Bergoglio entrusted Scalfari to report this together with the first papal interview on October 1, 2013?

Bergoglio explained, 'When I was elected Pope in the conclave, I asked before I accepted the option to retire for a few minutes in the room next to the balcony facing the square. My head was completely empty and a great fear had fallen upon me. So it passed and I calmed myself, I closed my eyes and every thought disappeared, and to refuse the office, which the liturgical procedure allows. I closed my eyes and felt no fear or emotionality any more. '

Then, said Bergoglio further, I jumped like a shot and went into the room where the Cardinals were waiting for me and the table on which lay the acceptance. I signed, and the Cardinal Chamberlain countersigned and then there was the Habemus Papam on the balcony.'

It would be interesting to understand why the white smoke was given at 19.06 clock, about an hour before the Habemus Papam, which was at 20.12 clock. The white smoke could certainly not have been given before Bergoglio accepting the election, since there is only with the signing of the declaration of acceptance a new pope and must take this assumption of free will, and therefore may not take place before the anticipated white smoke ,

It would also be interesting to understand the whys and the wherefores of this election acceptance after Bergoglio had indeed not accepted according to his Jesuit vow, not to accept.

The aforementioned Scalfari interview was in fact confirmed by Bergoglio himself, who had published it in an anthology of the Vatican publishing house a month ago. Why are these questions and circumstances not resolved and put to rest?"

Many New Cardinals in a Short Time

As far as Antonio Socci, he suggests the lifting of secrecy for the Cardinals. This could, said the Italian journalist, answer all the questions raised in his book. He would then like to acknowledge the facts.

But until now it has not been confirmed by any canon that the election held has been canonically correct. The sequence of the conclave will be described by Elisabetta Pique in the Pope's biography. The Argentine journalist and Pope-friend here based it directly on her personal recollections of the Pope's words himself. It's a procedure that had been confirmed by an unnamed cardinal to the Corriere della Sera.

If the conclave had been concluded, like he, Socci, describes it in his book, then the election would be invalid and thus there would be no white-robed incumbent on the Chair of Peter and all official acts since then would be null and void.

"The problem is now that Pope Bergoglio has announced the creation of new cardinals for the upcoming February 15 and may add up to 19 cardinals to be created in February 2014. Why so many appointments in such a short time? To shift the relationships in the College of Cardinals? There is a certain restlessness in the ecclesiastical world, because it is suspected that today progressives in the Curia will push for a future conclave with an axis shifted toward a more modernist leftist.

Apart from the fact that the Pope is 78 years old, we are constantly hearing about a possible resignation. Before that happens, maybe someone wants a progressive revolution in the College of Cardinals. Thus, there can be no opposite pendulum swing by a startled Cardinal majority.

The conclave of 2013 had by no means a "progressive" majority. Bergoglio was only chosen because cardinals served up all kinds of stories to get their votes. From the transitional pope, to a pope of necessity, a pope in the southern hemisphere, but always with the assurance that the Argentine would stand in continuity with Benedict XVI. and John Paul II. It was not a coincidence that Bergoglio was found again at the recent Synod of Bishops in the minority. The result is the work of personal conversion. Thus, if the College of Cardinals were turned upside down with a view to a future conclave?" Thus is the final question of Antonio Socci in his essay, on 21 December, and thus one day before the little friendly papal Christmas message to the Curia staff in the daily newspaper Libero had been published.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

(Vatican) On 22 February is Pope Francis will create the first cardinals of his pontificate. The announcement of the new cardinals is expected for the end of January.Their number will be about fifteen new members for the Church Senate. The number is derived from the total number set by Pope Paul VI. of 120 papal electors. The appointments will provide information about the sympathies and direction of the pontificate.

The appointment of cardinals belongs solely to the pope. It is bound by unwritten laws, which are still obligatory. The first appointments will show whether Pope Francis holds to the ecclesiastical practices like Pope Benedict XVI. and the other popes did before him. The appointment of cardinals will have a significant influence on the election of his successor to pope.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

(Rome) For the 30th of September, the first ordinary consistory of Pope Francis’ pontificate will be convened. The subject will include the canonization of Pope John XXIII and John Paul II. and the announcement of the exact dates for the canonization will be expected. On this occasion the Pope could also announce the convening of his first extraordinary Consistory for the creation of new cardinals. This is at least what the Spanish Catholic Church Historian and blogger Francisco de la Cigoña says at the suggestion of Vatican sources.

Currently, nine seats are vacant in the College of Cardinals. On the 24th of September, there are ten, on the 19th of October eleven and there will be 12 on the 25th of December. On these days the Cardinals Raffaele Farina (Italy, 2007-2012 archivist and librarian of Holy Roman Church), Geraldo Agnelo (Brazil, 1999-2011 Archbishop of São Salvador da Bahia) and Joachim Meisner (Germany, since 1989 Archbishop of Cologne) will reach their 80th birthday and will cease to be active papal electors. Apart from this, the Pope could also temporarily exceed the number the number of 120 electoral cardinals, should he not be so eager to plan another consistory, or of course to continue expanding number.

On the future of the Cardinals who are in first place, is the recently appointed new Secretary Curia of Pope Francis Archbishop Pietro Parolin and the Prefect of the Congregation, Archbishop Curia Gerhard Ludwig Müller, appointed early July of 2012 by Pope Benedict.

Among the contenders for the Cardinalatial Purple are included, subject to surprises, also Archbishop Mario Aurelio of Buenos Aires, whom Pope Francis appointed after 15 days of his election as his successor in Argentina,. Archbishop Ricardo Ezzati Andrello SDB of Santiago de Chile (was appointed by Benedict XVI in 2010 ). Patriarch Francesco Moraglia of Venice (was appointed by Benedict XVI in 2012); Archbishop Andrew Yeom Soo-jung of Seoul (appointed by Benedict XVI in 2012).

Archbishop Jose Horacio Gomez of Los Angeles (appointed by Benedict XVI in 2011). However, his predecessor, Cardinal Roger Mahony will be in effect until the 27 of February 2016; Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard of Mechelen-Brussels (Appointed by Benedict XVI in 2010), who in the last two extraordinary consistories of Benedict XVI. was excluded because his predecessor Cardinal Godfried Danneels only celebrated his 80th birthday on the 4th of June. In accordance with church practice only one member of the College of Cardinals can be the Metropolitan Archbishop of the same district.

Other contenders are Archbishop Vincent Nicholas of Westminister (appointed by Benedict XVI. in 2009); Patriarch Manuel Jose Macario do Nascimento Clemente of Lisbon (appointed by Francis in 2013), but his predecessor Cardinal Jose da Cruz Policarpo reaches his 80th birthday on the 26th of February 2016; OCist Archbishop Orani Tempesta of Rio de Janeiro (appointed by Benedict XVI. in 2009); Cesare Nosiglia, Archbishop of Turin, Cardinal Severino Poletto is his predecessor and reached 80 this on the last 18th of March (appointed by Benedict XVI in 2010.) and he was just still able to attend the conclave.

Other p;ossible contenders for the cardinal's hat are also Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmadjo from Jakarta (appointed by Benedict XVI. in 2010), although his predecessor Juliua Cardinal Darmaatmadja SJ only reached his 80th birthday on the 20th of December, 2014; Archbishop Charles Joseph Chaput, OFM Cap, again with the caveat that his predecessor, Cardinal Justin Rigali won’t turn 80 until the 19th of April, 2015. (appointed by Benedict XVI in 2011.) leaves the circle of papal electors.

Of the Eastern Churches united with Rome, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of Kiev-Halych, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church whose predecessor Ljubomyr Cardinal Husar last considered Cardinal candidate, turned 80 in February, two days before the entry into force of the vacancy and is therefore no longer allowed to participate in the conclave. Likewise, patriarch Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak of Alexandria, head of the Coptic Catholic Church, whose predecessor Cardinal Antonios Naguib, however, resigns only on the 7th of March, 2015 as an active elector.

Monday, May 27, 2013

(London) Vatican Radio reports: "The Anglican Church has announced plans to test the recognition of the Episcopal ordination of women again." In other words, in the Anglican "Church of England" the motto is "democracy instead of truth" voted on as long as needed until the result desired by progressive circles results.

Vienna Archbishop Christoph Cardinal Schönborn said in mid-May, in a speech at London's Royal Albert Hall for an Anglican organized Ecumenical Leadership Conference of a "peculiar similarity" between the election of Pope Francis and the choice of Justin Welby as the Archbishop of Canterbury and thus the Primate of the Anglican Communion. He described the "similarity" even as "a small miracle" and as a "sign of the Lord" .

The comparison of the Conclave with the election of the president of the Anglican Communion by the Austrian Cardinal seems more "strange". Observers of the development of the "Church of England" and the Anglican Communion speak of hard battles as a direction was found for a sufficient majority for a candidate. The majority determined, and wanted a new "Primate", which is precisely a moderate progressive. No conservative, but not a candidate who accepts homosexuals as bishops. At least not now.

The current goal in ascendent liberal circles is namely the enforcement of women bishops. Welby meets all the criteria of what is currently considered moderately progressive in the "Church of England": He explicitly rejects homosexual bishops, but spoke even before his election explicitly for the admission of women to the episcopate.

Welby's choice was the result of calculated, painstaking negotiations, of tactics, the massive lobbying majority of majority shoppers, of compromise and lengthy inventions by democratic majority, i.e., human rules. The Holy Spirit can hardly recognize it.

The Archbishop of Vienna's statement on the election of Welby and equating it with the election of Pope Francis is all the more incomprehensible because his statements on the simultaneous connection with the Conclave, relatives the work of the Holy Spirit in the Sistine Chapel.

Saturday, May 25, 2013

(Vatican) Pope Francis has today accepted the resignation put forward on grounds of age resignation of Cardinal Julio Terrazas Sandoval CSsR as Archbishop of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. The Cardinal of the Redemptorist order is already the third cardinal and Conclave participant. The Pope has accepted his resignation in the two months of his deadline. The new Pope has shown little willingness to extend the terms of office beyond the intended minimum set in canon law.

Only a week ago, on 18 May the Pope accepted the resignation of Cardinal José da Cruz Policarpo as Patriarch of Lisbon. On April 5th Pope Francis had accepted the request of Cardinal Audrys Backis as the Archbishop of Vilnius. All three Cardinals are in the 77th or 78th year of their lives. Pope Benedict XVI. had granted them an extension of the term of office. At least the resignation of Backis and Policarpo was "no loss" for the church, as the Church Historian Francisco de la Cigoña remarked.

Church law provides that diocesan bishops and members of the Roman Curia must offer their resignations at the age of 75 Years of age to the Pope. It doesn't operate as an age limit. The scheme will offer the opportunity to the Pope to decide on officials theoretically appointed for life, without notice. If the Pope does not act on the request, the request must be renewed in the interval of two years.

While Pope Benedict XVI. tended to extend the terms of office, especially when they were archbishops and even more if they were cardinals, Pope Francis is seeming to follow a different line. The three Cardinals will continue until the age of 80 years to be of an age eligible to vote in a conclave. When retired, they are no longer in active employment as Cardinals, however they are so de facto excluded from among the papabili.

On the 25th of December, Cardinal Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne is 80, Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone on the 2nd of December had his 79th, the Vietnamese Cardinal Pham Minh Man was born in 1934. Since his birth is not known, the 31st of December applies as the date.

In total there are 18 cardinals who could have their resignations accepted by the Pope at any time, including with Cardinal Meisner and Cardinal Lehmann, who are also Germans. So the Pope has the opportunity to fill aout 20 new leading ecclesiastical provinces and make important decisions in the Roman Curia.

By the end of the year there will be 12 places free to reach the number of voters for Pope at 120 limited by Pope Paul VI.. It is therefore believed that Pope Francis probably could convene his first extraordinary consistory in autumn, to create new cardinals.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

[Piusbruderschaft.de] The Cardinals were sworn under oath, during the Conclave, and thereafter to keep absolute silence, both in terms of the course of the conclave and the voting.

Cardinal Kasper seems to see it differently: The Swabian newspaper addressed the prelate who talks out of school and openly declared that he had already chosen Jorge Bergoglio in the first round of voting.

Does the Swabian Cardinal now merit an ecclesiastical punishment?

SZ: Your Eminence, when you came out of the conclave. How did you feel about the new Pope Francis?

Kasper: Cardinal Bergoglio from the beginning was my candidate, I voted for him from the beginning of the conclave. It represents a new beginning in the church, for a humble and fraternal church that is there for people who return to their source, the Gospel. His name as Pope, Francis, is a program, it is reminiscent of the St. Francis of Assisi, who has heard the call of Christ: "Build my church again!” [Not to tear it down as Cardinal Kasper has done for practically his entire career.]

The grotesque of the situation is the fact that the newspaper he never asks. Sua sponte Schwabe never asked who he has personally voting for. The question: "What do you think of the Pope?" can be answered fully satisfactorily without this indiscretion.

When the cardinal made any such, he then left off to reconstruct the course of events of the conclave in a striking fashion.

Unlike the Archbishop of Vienna Cardinal Kasper Schoenborn stressed for example, at a press conference immediately after the election, that he could only answer questions that relate to things after the election of the new Pope.

In addition, the response of Cardinal Kasper has another - like the Schwabe says - “flavor”. Does that not sound as having a bit of panache? I, Cardinal Kasper, have made the right choice from the beginning. He has been "my" candidate.

The fact is that Cardinal Kasper has made a statement, which is illegal according to the promise given under oath. One should not think that this oath was unknown to people around the world. Even the Spiegel focuses on the secrecy sworn on the Bible in its own article: swearing on the Bible against secret treachery . It says: "In case of breach of the oath those guilty are threatened with excommunication."

Must a Prince of the Church call this kind of secrecy into question: If your Eminence treat an oath on the Bible like this, how will your Eminence handle it in confession?

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

(Vatican) Pope Francis has made his first appointments. Following the practice of the Holy See, he confirmed the second secretary of his predecessor, the priest Alfred Xuereb from Malta in office. It is customary that the first secretary resigns with the end of a pontificate and is replaced by a confidant of the new pope. The second secretary of the predecessor is however retained for a transitional period in order to have a smooth transition. In a second moment, as a rule, he will be replaced by the new Pope. Pope Francis has not appointed an first secretary.

Pope Benedict XVI. appointed his first secretary, Monsignor Georg Gänswein in fall 2012, as Prefect of the Apostolic House. As such, he could, if confirmed by the new Pope, continue performing his duties at the Vatican. The prefect has no influence on the decisions of the Pope, but he coordinates all visits and meetings with outsiders from leaders to ordinary believers. Msgr Gänswein also remains personal secretary of Pope Benedict XVI., Who currently lives in Castel Gandolfo.

Now, reports the online daily news Cattoliche is that Msgr Gänswein could be appointed as Coadjutor Archbishop of Joachim Cardinal Meisner with right of succession. The secretary of Pope Benedict XVI. could be the next Archbishop of Cologne. It falls on the parallels with Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, the first secretary of Pope John Paul II, who Pope Benedict XVI. was appointed on 1 June 2005, two months after the death of his predecessor to be Archbishop of Krakow, the seat of a metropolitan, which had been previously occupied by the late Pope. On 2006 Archbishop Dziwisz was elevated to Cardinal status. Cologne is also an archbishop seat that is traditionally associated with the Cardinal. Cardinal Meisner is at the end of his 80th year.

Pope Francis has also followed the practice, all of the Roman Curia Dikasterienleiter confirmed with the usual formula for donec aliter provideatur until is to make different choices. Therefore nothing can be read in his personal politics for the time being.

Before jumping to higher applies Monsignor Lorenzo Baldisseri, the former nuncio to Brazil and hitherto secretary of the Congregation for Bishops and Secretary of the College of Cardinals, which is why he played a special role in the conclave. As Pope, Francis, just elected, received the white Pileolus of the Pope, he put on his purple Cardinal’s pileolus on Msgr. Baldisseri. This spontaneous gesture is seen as a sign that the Curia, that the Archbishop will be raised by the next Conclave to the Cardinal rank. The elevation of Cardinal Conclave Secretary certainly has a tradition in the church. Benedict XVI. created the then secretary Curia Archbishop Francesco Monterisi, not the first consistory, but later.

An appeal to the Curia could affect Monsignor Nicola Girasoli, the nuncio in the West Indies. He has been friends with the new pope for some time and until 2005, worked for six years as a Counsellor at the Nunciature in Buenos Aires.

Friday, March 15, 2013

Update: Mark Shea has apologized for slandering Michael Voris, who was simply reporting the news and not making any negative statements about the Holy Father at all. Well!

Edit: after reading a blog post recently urging a non-descript group of intransigents, integralists, seminarians, mothers of five at home and people of the remnant, to “calm down”, I thought it would be interesting to address the subject of public browbeating typical of certain people who attempt to vilify that group known as “Traditionalists”, loosely described as a group of individuals who embrace the rites and doctrines of the Catholic Church as they have been practiced throughout the ages. First off, assuming that most of the people are firm advocates of the Second Vatican Council, we should perhaps step back from vilifying a group of people and consider the importance of free expression, religious freedom of speech and assume that we're supposed to be adults capable of forming our own judgments, even if they are incorrect. But hey, it's a lot easier to kick a dog we think won't bite!

Part of the problem with these rushes to judgment, even if we're criticizing people we think no one regards as human beings, is that the individuality of each one is forgotten. This is important, for there are almost as many reactions to this papal election as there are different members of the alleged "trad" group being vilified. The responses range from palpable anger, despair, grief, resignation, cautious optimism, joy, legitimate concern, to outright enthusiasm for this Pope. Of course, it also helps that bloggers are so vague in their accusations, this enables many others, even self-identified traditionalists who proceed to beat themselves up with recriminations, can join in with their own particular image of the fire breathing, unfriendly, mean spirited traditionalist that they've learned to despise.

Ultimately, this kind of attempt at public shaming has the intention, whether expressed or not, of silencing legitimate criticism. You're kicking the barking dog, or even giving him sleeping pills so a thief can get in and out undetected with the goods.

This sort of thing brings to mind a certain kind of cliquey blogger, but one blogger in particular, some blogs are more passive in their appraisal of traditionalists, but there are other blogs who shrug off not only any pretense of restraint, factuality or a love for persons, but they go right for good old fashioned slander, like Mark Shea does.

But in addressing this issue of individuals and groups, let's not assume that the people offended don't have a legitimate point to make. Let's not blame the victim of bad behavior for calling out as so many have before only to suffer this:

And which of you, if he ask his father bread, will he give him a stone? or a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

Indeed, rather than blaming those who are suffering and recognize the familiar signs of the things which have scandalized them, why not blame the agents of such crimes? Is there really anything wrong with having a "questioning faith" if your name isn't Hans Kung, Roger Cardinal Mahony or Sister Joan Chittister?

Just to point it out, most people in the world are deliriously happy about the new pontiff, but in some areas it seems that he has profoundly distressed a section of Catholic Church who has made extensive use of the Pope's opening up of the Mass of All Ages to the entire world with his Motu Proprio, Summorum Pontificum in 2007 in Argentina. There have been numerous responses to Rorate Caeli's expose on the situation in Buenos Aires, most of them are as hysterical and uncharitable as the post accusing intransigents of doing.

In fact, according to Rorate Coeli's journalist, the Holy Father did not implement the legislation in his See and even went to extents to suppress it by refusing to allow his priests to say it. This goes against what else we've heard from Giuseppi Nardi at Katholisches, that the Institute of the Good Shepherd has a Mass location in his See, but we have been unable to confirm that at present.

But then there are other "trads" like Father Gruner, who believe that we are on the eve of a Fatima Papacy. Father Gruner has been in contact with the Holy Father in the past and is beside himself.

Of course, focusing on the alleged problem of people with legitimate or perhaps, ill-formed and misplaced grievances in good will, we should be considering where the true problems lie instead:

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Edit: a lone pilgrim was praying in the rain in St. Peter’s square on a sewer grate while curious passers by watched (some joined him in prayer, and one priest even offered him grapes). After finishing his prayers, he would go back to Assisi, to sleep outside there in the portico of the church. Being interviewed by one journalist, he spoke of the end times. Yet another journalist, interviewed the Friar and recorded his thoughts:

"Now times are very difficult for the church," said Massimo Coppo, who for more than 30 years has devoted his life to prayer and penitence for the church, following the example, he said, of St. Francis of Assisi.

Coppo arrived in Rome early Tuesday on the train from Assisi, where he is part of a community dedicated to St. Francis – and reforming the church. He's become something of a fixture at St. Peter's, but usually takes the train back to Assisi at night, where he sleeps under the porticos of the basilica.

"Tonight, I think I will stay," Coppo said, thanking a young priest who pressed a bag of grapes and crackers into his gnarled hands. "Here it is a mission of praying." He'd chosen his spot, kneeling atop the sewer drain, because, he explained, "When Francis came here to meet the pope, the story says that he also stayed in a stable with animals. So I want to stay here, as a sign of penance and also in prayer, so that our church may be clean and restored."

When I asked the question that is nearly ubiquitous in Rome at the moment – who would he like to see elected pope – Coppo skipped names and went straight to description.

"To me, I hope it will be a pope who is poor or who understands the poor. Many people are poor and becoming poor," he said. "A pope that speaks of eternity – of paradise – and even of hell in a world that doesn't like it.

"The revolutionary approach of Francis to poverty and suffering is the approach of the apostles, of the Bible," the soft-spoken pilgrim continued. "Sometimes, part of the church wants to please the world. It's not possible.”

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Update to the Update GMT 18:23: Here’s decent coverage from them on the Vatican website:

http://www.vatican.va/phome_en.htm

Edit: don’t get stuck listening to crappy coverage from NBC, BBC or Nazi originated Spiegel. Listen to the Vatican Broadcaster, as chaotic as it is. Their site is horribly constructed and I can’t find live streaming, but here’s a link for an MP3:

http://www.vaticanradio-us.org/webcasting/rg_inglese_1_1.mp3

You also may have to download a viewer/player in order to get into the Vatican Site. There are various sites to access live streaming, but the English ones appear to be broken.

Just listening to the morning news now, and it’s got Father Thomas Reese SJ, disgraced former editor of America on. Can’t they find someone who’s Catholic?

Ok, forget Vatican Radio in English. Here’s live streaming coverage on Youtube:

Monday, March 11, 2013

Benedikt XVI. will not sit in peace after his resignation, but will continue to co-administer in the Vatican, says Theologian [sic] Kung. There are many indications for that.

[Zeit] Benedikt XVI. will also continue to except size influence in important decisions in the Vatican - the Theologian Kung is sure of this. Benedikt has flipped all the switches in order to secure his position of power, said the Tubingen professor. For the new Pope this will be a great burden. He will be "hindered in every way by a shadow Pope. "

Benedikt XVI. had bid farewell to the Cardinalls on 28. February in the Vatican and said to his successor: "Among you is the future pope and I promise you my unqualified obedience and respect" he said, before he flew to his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo. in a few moments he would withdraw into a former monastery in the Vatican garden.

He is alarmed that Benedikt XVI. has his retirement residence so close to the center of power. Here it is so that Benedikt according to his press speaker to continue contact with his Cardinals. And also Benedikt's private secretary, Georg Gänswein - says Küng is "a puppet master" - in an influemtial position at the Prefecture of the Papal Household. Benedikt will have as a consequence many opportunities to have comprehensive influence.

Reforms indispensable

If the new pope should be ready for reforms, conservative Cardinals could always turn to the old Pope and build a powerful position. Küng himself considers reforms indispensable. Without reforms the Church may "run into a new ice age and is in danger of becoming an large sect of shrinking relevance."

Sunday, March 10, 2013

The District Superior of Germany, Father Franz Schmidberger, calls all believers to participate in a fast day, which is to be held in all the houses of the SSPX in Germany.

The intention of the fast day is the good outcome of the election of a pope.

From the circular letter to the brothers in the German district:

Stuttgart 9, March 2013

According to information from the Rome conclave begins on Tuesday, the 12th March. In order for all the communities of the Society in the German district of Monday or Tuesday to hold a day of fasting.

All the faithful are invited to join in this day of fasting.

On Tuesday, the "Votive Mass for election of a pope" can second classed as a votive Mass in red with Gloria, but no creed, and the commemoration of Lent.

With fraternal greetings,

Father Franz Schmidberger

Note: A fast day is completed according to the Catholic Church's law on a day in which you are taking only one full meal (preferably lunch). In the morning and in the evening just a little snack is allowed (in the morning a piece of dry bread and drink, dinner a bowl of soup with a piece of bread). Drinking does not break the fast.

Under the new Code (1983) obligatory fast days are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday ( this is unknown to many Catholics due to the lack of preaching in parishes!).

The SSPX fasts in their homes, every Friday during Lent and the Ember Days.

Edit: we were reporting earlier that we’d hoped that Cardinal Kasper had turned away from his Old Liberal ways as a protege of the dissident Hans Kung. He not only kept mostly silent, but moderated many of his former opinions, even encouraging his fellow Germans to obey the Holy Father at one point.

Now the wily Conciliarist smells blood in the water and is leading the progressive bloc in the Council to elect at least a man they can manipulate to further their agenda. Here’s the translation from Giuseppi Nardi and his interpretation, which is very perceptive:

(Rome) Cardinal Walter Kasper, will participate in the conclave, though he is 80 years old, in two days. He will thus be the oldest papal elector. The German Cardinal, the most weighty representative of the progressive cardinals, is spinning the threads of an anti-Ratzinger Pontificate.

The former assistant to Hans Küng was removed in 1999 by John Paul II as the Bishop of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart and transferred to Rome, where he was until 2010, the President of the Pontifical Council on Promoting Christian Unity. The promotion was part of a smooth reconstruction of the German episcopate by repression of the progressive influence. As a "minister" of the Holy See, Kasper moderated his attitude, although he had not abandoned it. Within the Roman Curia, he was theologically the real opponent of Benedict XVI. Since his resignation announcement, it was difficult not to see the Cardinal as the most important representative of the progressive camp to advance amid the Conclave participants. It is a direction that is no longer numerically great among the electors, but looks for allies.

Assistant to Hans Küng as head of the progressive cardinals

Little surprise, then, that the Left-Liberal Italian daily La Repubblica [They also do Vatican Insider] asked the Cardinal for an interview. That paper, which published the dubious rumor by an allegedly scandalous shocking content of Vatileaks-final report, which allegedly prompted Pope Benedict to resign. The unproven sex-crime-and-Vatican rumor was spread worldwide. La Repubblica is currently one of those papers of similar political alignment that try to significantly influence the conclave from the outside.

The newspaper asked Cardinal Kasper what he would say to Benedict XVI, when he visits him after the conclave. The Cardinal did not too shy to announce through the media today what he would eventually intend to say in person to the former Pope, but in any case, still Pope. It’s hard to imagine less respect. Kasper's remarks reveal a certain nervousness that in Benedict XVI. the Cardinals could recognize maybe a preferred candidate to succeed him, or at least to prescribe and influence the who his successor will be.

“Advice" as a warning - Kasper’s revolutionary plans

Kasper's response thus acts more on the conclave, then an imaginary conversation with Benedict XVI. after the conclave disguised as a "piece of advice" which corresponds to more of a warning. So what would the Cardinal tell his German compatriot?

"Many things. The first is a piece of advice. I would recommend him to let himself be used by anyone.The danger is too great that the church leadership suffers his influence. This must not happen. He has made his clear decision that requires a step back. He must, therefore, impose restraint. He must avoid to relate questions that church leaders and church politics to interfere. Then I would still be friendly with him, talk about what we both care about the most, theology. "

The newspaper stressed then that the German Pope, especially in the local church, sees an authoritarian figure who dictates from above, which is why in Germany particular worth is put on independence from Rome. As to the question of whether Kasper also sees it this way, the Cardinal contradicts, but rather calls for an unspecified democratization of the Catholic Church to Protestant model:

"It takes a new form of exercise of church leadership. This form is called collegiality, a more horizontal government. The collegiality of the bishops must extend through forms of representation to all parts of God's people. Such collegiality would go in the direction of the Second Vatican Council of the unity in diversity among all who believe in the gospel and greater dialogue with other religions. It is necessary to get away from the dryness of Roman centralism by the conviction that the center does not mean centralization.

The reform of the curia is a priority. At the same time it is also a big problem, because today there is a lack of internal dialogue in the Roman Curia. The departments of not talking to each other, there is no communication. This situation is changing.

In the General Congregations, we have not talked about Vatileaks. I think that the Curia should be revolutionized, and generally independent of Vatileaks. I believe that next to the word reform is a second word: transparency. The Curia must begin to stop fearing transparency. "

"Celibacy, women priests, homosexuality" and Kasper’s silence

According to La Repubblica move "celibacy, women priests, homosexuality [...]" the conscience of many believers back "issues" with emphasis in the public debate. " Cardinal Kasper also contradicts not a word in this case, if it is received in its response on another keyword:

“The banning of remarried divorcees from communion is a wound. I will not pretend to the previous track, but one thing is certain: there needs to be serious rethinking on this issue. It takes humility to approach the argument from case to case. The determination can be changed according to the diversity of the situation. "

Cardinal Kasper expresses no preferred candidate as the next pope: "I wish that there is no objection to anyone. We have to be open to everything, for every nationality and every geographical origin. "

Brazilian bishops have called on the progressive media, to create the right atmosphere for Cardinal Schemer

Meanwhile, it was revealed that large movements are in progress, the Archbishop of Sao Paulo, Cardinal Odilo Scherer is being brought in camp as a candidate of the “Left" position. Movements, in which the progressive classical types as Lehmann and Kasper, are connected. As at the largest Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo reported on the 5th of March, the Brazilian Bishops' Conference has not only called the cardinals of the largest Latin American country to vote for Scherer, but also specifically asked the progressive mass media to create the right atmosphere for the election Scherer.

It is not only the ten percent of the old progressives who gather around Scherer in the conclave, but all “Liberal" cardinals who believe that the reconstruction of the church by Pope Benedict XVI went too far. Thus an anti-Ratzinger successor is secured to cancel the pontificate of Benedict XVI in its "restorative" parts. The alliance, which also includes parts of the Roman Curia. Those Curia who were, under Pope Paul VI and John Paul II, were greatly enhanced by a number of new councils, academies and commissions. The heads of some departments want to live a life of their own as much as possible, which is why they are traditionally interested with the progressives for a weak pope, which Cardinal Kasper indirectly expressed. Those who know him are convinced that Cardinal Kasper thinks there is a plan B next to Scherer.

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Edit: much has been bandied about in recent times about Benedict XVI’s daring move. Encouragingly, a few of the German journalists have been very sympathetic to him. Not only does this journalist see the potential for a long-term gain, but he cites an unnamed Prelate from Lebanon who, like us, believes that the Pope could and should be re-elected again. Here’s the article which was captured by Kath.net.

A high prelate from Lebanon has proposed recently that the cardinals in the conclave should best of Benedict XVI. but simply choose again. - By Paul Badde / The World

Vatican (kath.net / DieWelt)
Rain in Rome. The conclave will commence on the 12th of March, according to the latest leak in the Vatican. 115 [114] Cardinals from around the world will then begin to choose the successor to Benedict XVI.. Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman had promised the message only for Friday evening at 19.00 clock. On Thursday, the last Cardinal had arrived from Vietnam. The rest of the international college had been in the days before in intensive regular plenary sessions in the Nervi Hall and in numerous meetings in the palaces and in the corridors of the Vatican, as in many places around St. Peter's the profile of a successor is exchanged - and the tasks that will fall upon the poor man.

The Cardinals themselves can not say a word, since they all had to swear before the plenum individually to strict secrecy. No wonder since the rumor mill has not churned this much in years. What became known before the imposition of the embargo on information was this: all the guests from the five continents in Rome will finally find out exactly what has happened in the last few months at the Vatican. The Cardinal Julián Herranz (82) from Spain, Jozef Tomko (89) from Slovakia and southern Italian Salvatore De Giorgi (82) who meticulously investigated the background of the vanished documents, which disappeared from the Pope’s table, on behalf of Pope Benedict, are therefore now already considered as the secret kingmakers.

Certainly, the three have, in any case, run more than one cardinal from the race. Since they meet in individual meetings with their brothers, their findings are by all means, no secret. The 300-page dossier, in which they have recorded the findings and results of their investigations is true only available to the next pope. However, many details of their investigations have obviously long since made themselves known already in the corridors of the Vatican - where many initiates don’t need their own investigations, to see the conditions in the image, which normally do not penetrate through the walls of the Vatican to the outside.

"The Curia has killed Benedict XVI.” is therefore not an unusual assessment these days in the alleys and streets surrounding St. Peter's. The future Pope must “clean from the ground up” in the Curia, confided the American Archbishop Charles Chaput (66) on Thursday for the Roman newspaper "Il Messaggero". This “pressing task" requires an energy that Benedict XVI. obviously could have managed, and therefore logically waived his office. He's made a mark on many by diverse calculations and plans toward this last step of his official resignation, although this was not only a personal option for himself, by an opportunity, which he saw bound in principle with this office for a long time.

"If the pope can see that he is absolutely unable, then surely he would resign," Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger has entrusted the chief editor, John Schießl, since 11 March 2002 of the Munich church newspaper. His step on 11 February sprang not only from his own personal well-being, but his understanding of the ministry of the Petrine ministry as a whole. Not all in the Catholic Church agree with this understanding of office, not even among the cardinals.

As opposed to the conclave of 2005, in which Joseph Ratzinger had been by far the best-known face, there're no clear favorites for the succession and also no clear camp between conservatives and progressives. This time the Cardinals from around the world are united and separated, especially on the question of how much they agree on this spectacular last step of Benedict XVI - or how much they reject it. Only after the election of a successor can the complex meaning of the resignation be therefore ascertained.

With his last step the pope was also playing his game va banque with the Holy Spirit. For his successor could again thwart all decrees, for which he has staked his future - or else he could connect him to an unprecedented double pontificate, as long as "Benedictus XVI. Emeritus” is still alive. Until this election but now especially the pundits and Pope-ologists like David Berger [likes to bathe in urine] have the floor, which claims to offer currently much sought after interviewees for "gay cliques and networks pink" in the Vatican. The network and server to Saint Peter then crash every few minutes, with the incredible amounts of data that are in beamed these days around the world to and from Rome. Meanwhile, journalists are already more numerous here than in the death of John Paul II. Its own media center had to be set up because the Sala Stampa’s emergency requirements are nowhere near enough.

The Sistine Chapel was already closed on Tuesday to begin the technical preparation for the conclave. With the seats, setting up the furnace in which the ballots are burned, the careful search for possible bugs and the like. The room must also be made electronically completely sterile, so not a cardinal can’t be tweeting the news about the new pope before the rise of white smoke outside.

A high prelate from Lebanon has recently proposed, it would be best if the cardinals in the conclave should elect Benedict XVI. again. Then there would be in the church a few less problems. This election of Benedict, he would necessarily accept and return immediately from Castel Gandolfo to Rome - as Peter when he was on the run from the burning of Rome, he met Jesus on the Via Appia, who only asked him: "Quo vadis?" Where are you going? After his return Benedict XVI. could immediately clamp down like never before. With such a mandate of the election of the frail old man would be the most powerful Pope of the history of the Church.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

U.S. Cardinal Theodore Edgar McCarrick's cross is seen as he attends a prayer at Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican March 6, 2013. Catholic cardinals said on Tuesday they wanted time to get to know each other before choosing the next pope and meanwhile would seek more information on a secret report on alleged corruption in the Vatican. REUTERS/Max Rossi

Monday, March 4, 2013

(Vatican) The Swiss Guard was removed, the window of the papal apartment remained closed on Sunday. In St. Peter's Square in Rome no public Angelus was recited. Believers prayed yesterday the Rosary and the Angelus by themselves on the main square of Christendom. During worship the Pope and Bishop of Rome is no longer mentioned in the Eucharistic Prayer. Since this morning, 9.30 the first General Congregation of the Sacred College has been meeting for the beginning of the interregnum.

Many cardinals have yet to meet in Rome. Once the number is correct, they will decide the start of the papal election. There are signs, however, everything indicates that the Conclave will be brought forward by a few days, and will begin on Monday, 11 March. The earliest possible start would have been 15th March at the earliest. In a short time before his resignation, Benedict XVI. enacted a Motu Proprio to enable the cardinals, when completely assembled, to set an earlier date.

They will make use of it. The Cardinals will be celebrating Holy Mass in a week in the morning in St. Peter’s, Pro eligendo Romano Pontifice, celebrated by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Dean of Cardinals. Afterwards, the papal electors, the College of Cardinals will issue in procession and the invocation of the Holy Spirit with the Pentecostal hymn Veni Creator Spiritus in the Sistine Chapel, where they will be enclosed until the election of a new pope and hermetically sealed from the outside world.

As with 2005, the 2013 conclave of 117 cardinals has exactly 115 who will participate. This is the highest number of papal electors in Church history. At least 77 votes will be required for the election of the new Pope.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

München (kath.net/KNA) The. Schülerkreis around Benedikt XVI. Will continue its meetings with the emeritus Pope. This is what the Schülerkreis head Father Stephan Horn to Munich Church Radio. The Schülerkreis is very close to Benedict which has had a meeting every year.

The next meeting for this year is already planned, explains Horn: "We had hoped at least to celebrate Holy Mass with him in Castel Gandolfo in Rome." Even Cardinal Christoph Schönborn from Vienna as well as Kurt Cardinal Koch from Basel are to have already said they will come.

Horn, who was the assistant of Joseph Ratzinger at the University of Regensburg explains that the emeritus Pope will continue his hobbies in retirement: "He will certainly not go swimming like the previous Holy Father, John Paul II,"said Horn, "he always liked
to go on walks. Then he will surely continue to study Holy Scripture, meditate, pray and play the piano."

In addition, Horn expects that the retiring Pope will continue writing, because this excites him. His already begun Faith Encyclopedia and will apparently be published.

The regular meetings which began in 1977 which earlier included academic students to regular events, which the former Professor Ratzinger did not give up even as Pope. Every year he meets with several dozen theologians who were awarded doctorates with him, were made doctors by him, or worked as assistants to him.

The meeting always takes place behind closes doors and were a kind of withdrawal to old times where the Pope would discuss ordered scientific themes answered in questions and asked. In the past years it has addresses questions like Darwin and Evolution, Islam, Ecumenism, the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) or the New Evangelization.

In 1958, Feeney correctly wrote that “the Jewish race constitutes a united anti-Christian bloc within Christian society, and is working ...

Purpose

This is a polemical Catholic Royalist blog. It will also attempt to provide a window onto various events, situations and personalities not generally or favorably presented to the purview of the general public in the English speaking world. It also hopes to be a bridge for those who wish to cross over, unite and fight for the truth.